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Interesting/Little Known introduced populations

Discussion in 'Wildlife & Nature Conservation' started by birdsandbats, 3 Jan 2018.

  1. Crotalus

    Crotalus Well-Known Member

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    I see. Thank you for clearing that up, I did think it was a bit odd for them to live there of all places...
     
  2. DesertRhino150

    DesertRhino150 Well-Known Member 10+ year member

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    Unfortunately, the book in question doesn't mention the names of any islands. I'm thinking it may have been a typo and they meant Danish islands - as Pertinax said, they have made it to the island of Bornholm, which is about the same distance from the mainland as Britain is to continental Europe.

    The place where I saw the theory about the importance of carpenter ants to black woodpeckers, and their absence being the reason for the latter's absence in Britain, was in this paper - in particular on pages 224-227:
    https://www.britishbirds.co.uk/wp-c...e_files/V96/V96_N05/V96_N05_P217_233_A002.pdf
     
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  3. Pertinax

    Pertinax Well-Known Member 15+ year member

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    Bornholm is certainly given as an example in the monograph on the species..
     
  4. vogelcommando

    vogelcommando Well-Known Member 10+ year member

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  5. vogelcommando

    vogelcommando Well-Known Member 10+ year member

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    Several changes at the "American Birding Association" list ( found on FB ) :

    "
    –=====–

    Recognize four species as never established in Hawaii, resulting in (a) transfer of Red-cheeked Cordonbleu Uraeginthus bengalus from the main list to the Appendix, and (b) removal of Helmeted Guineafowl Numida meleagris, Black-rumped Waxbill Estrilda troglodytes, and Tricolored Munia Lonchura malacca from the list of species known to occur in the US

    The proposal comes results from the relatively recent decisions by the ABA Checklist committee regarding countable species in Hawaii. Eight non-native species listed by the AOS as established in the US were not accepted to the ABA Checklist by the ABA Checklist Committee (ABACLC), including four species considered previously established in Hawaii. Those species are Helmeted Guineafowl, Red-cheeked Cordonbleu, Black-rumped Waxbill, and Tricolored Munia. The Hawaii Bird Records Committeec onsidered them never to have been established in Hawaii and thus, they would be removed from the AOS US Check-list. Tricolored Munia, however, remains on the AOS North American Check-list by virtue of an established population in Puerto Rico.

    –=====–

    (a) Adopt the ABA-CLC criteria for considering species to be established, and (b) reconsider the status of four species currently accepted as established in the US: Japanese Quail Coturnix japonica, Mitred Parakeet Psittacara mitrata, Lavender Waxbill Estrilda caerulescens, and Orange-cheeked Waxbill E. melpoda

    For decades, the AOS and the ABA have had differing criteria as to how long a non-native species had to be established to be deemed worthy to be included on their checklists. The AOS criteria looked at a species after 10 years and the ABA after 15 years, having extended from 10 in 1975 after having found the short time period insufficient for some species due to observed boom and bust cycle. Taking this new criteria into account the AOS considers four additional species not accepted by the ABA Checklist Committee: Japanese Quail, Mitred Parakeet, Lavender Waxbill, and Orange-cheeked Waxbill, likely retaining the first three and transferring the last to the Appendix from the Main Checklist.

    –=====–

    Revise species limits in the Zosterops japonicus complex

    Many Old World Authorities (and eBird) recently split the wide-ranging Japanese White-eye into several species native to east Asia. The species is also an established non-native throughout the Hawaiian Islands and is, indeed, one of the most common landbirds in the archipelago. This newly elevated subspecies is now widely known as Warbling White-eye and the AOS would adopt that name. There is, however, an increasing population of formerly Japanese White-eyes in southern California, assumed to be the subspecies now known as Swinhoe’s White-eye though field identification of these species is difficult. The proposal suggests that the committee adopt this split even if Swinhoe’s is not accepted to the checklist. Both ABA and AOS will keep an eye on that population in the event it becomes established and if those birds are confirmed as Swinhoe’s, that species may see its day on the ABA Checklist.


    –=====–

    Transfer Yellow-chevroned Parakeet Brotogeris chiriri from the Appendix to the main list

    Yellow-chevroned Parakeet is an established non-native species in southern California, recently added to the California list by the local committee and to the ABA Checklist by the ABA CLC. The AOS would mirror those decisions and add this species as well.

    –=====– "
     
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  6. birdsandbats

    birdsandbats Well-Known Member 5+ year member

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    There are so many introduced birds that are established in the US but not "countable" according to the ABA. It's quite ridiculous, as most of these species have been established for decades. The Indian Peafowl (which is currently on the Hawaiian list but not the continental one) has been established in the US since the 1880s, which was before starlings!
     
  7. Great Argus

    Great Argus Well-Known Member 5+ year member

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    About time Mitred and Yellow-chevroned Parakeets were added into the main list. I'm guessing Peach-faced Lovebird will be before too many more revisions as well.
     
  8. birdsandbats

    birdsandbats Well-Known Member 5+ year member

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    The lovebird was already added a few years ago. I'm expecting Lilac-crowned Parrot to be added next.
     
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  9. birdsandbats

    birdsandbats Well-Known Member 5+ year member

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    Here is a list of bird species currently established in the continental US but not on the continental ABA-checklist (as well as the states the species is established in):

    Mandarin Duck (California, Utah)
    Indian Peafowl (California, Texas, Florida)
    Black Swan (Florida)
    Rose-ringed Parakeet (California, Florida)
    Mitred Parakeet (California, Florida, New York?)
    Red-masked Parakeet (California, Florida)
    Lilac-crowned Parrot (California, Texas, Florida)
    Black-throated Magpie-Jay (California)
    Orange-cheeked Waxbill (California)
    Pin-tailed Whydah (California, Texas?)
    Great Tit (Wisconsin)
    European Goldfinch (Wisconsin, Illinois)
    Red Junglefowl (Florida, Georgia, Texas, California?)
    Blue-and-yellow Macaw (Florida)
    Common Hill Myna (Florida)
    Red-vented Bulbul (Texas)
    Greylag Goose (California, likely elsewhere)
    Swan Goose (Texas, likely elsewhere)
    Yellow-headed Parrot (California, Texas)
    Red-lored Parrot (California, Texas)
    Blue-crowned Parakeet (California, Florida)
    White-fronted Parrot (Texas)
    Orange-winged Parrot (Florida)
    White-eyed Parakeet (Florida)
    Chestnut-fronted Macaw (Florida)
    "Japanese" White-eye (California. No one is sure which species this really is)

    The ABA requires that species be established for at least 15 years before being added to the checklist, and with the exception of the white-eye all of these species have (ironically the white-eye is probably the most common species on the list).
     
  10. Great Argus

    Great Argus Well-Known Member 5+ year member

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    Several of those could certainly be added onto the main checklist I feel, particularly Mandarin Duck, Magpie-jay, Whydah, and Blue-crowned Parakeet.
    The biggest problem with the Peafowl, Swan Goose, Greylag, and Junglefowl is determining whether populations are domestic, feral, or wild. This has been the cause of quite a lot of discussion over the years and is still unresolved. Peafowl has come before the ABA committee before for acceptance, but the vote was undecided. Too many feral and domestic birds running around.
     
  11. birdsandbats

    birdsandbats Well-Known Member 5+ year member

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    The geese are the biggest issue. I see no reason peafowl should not be counted; the LA birds are descended from wild birds that were imported from India. The Texas and Florida populations are found even in rural areas.

    As for the junglefowl, I think it's safe the say the chickens in Key West, Miami, Tampa, and Sam Houston State Forest are well-established. The birds in Georiga are the Burmese subspecies (not Domestic Chickens) that were introduced into the state for hunting purposes. Their origns are essentially the same as the pheasant, Chukar, snowcock, ect.

    The geese are problematic, I agree. I am sure they are established at least in California a Texas, but other places (and even within those states) it can be difficult to tell whether they are escapees or wild-born birds.
     
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  12. Great Argus

    Great Argus Well-Known Member 5+ year member

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    I'm not sure on Peafowl honestly. I think it's quite possible they are self-sustaining, although I suspect releases do occur. Peafowl are commonly still kept on farms and large estates, and such birds do wander some. Just because the birds occur in a rural area does not mean they do not belong to someone. Ebird is clearly undecided on the issue when you look up maps for wild and domestic Peafowl, in the US the points are split fairly evenly. The larger side is to domestic though, and the two data sets overlap sighting areas extensively. This is a species that may be difficult to argue for until some solid research is done.

    The geese are indeed difficult, and confounded by hybrids, let alone domestics. All the Greylags and Swan Geese I have seen are clearly domestic form and sedentary. Nor have I seen them away from the city duck pond or a farm that keeps them. I do not consider that an introduced, successful population. I am comparing these two to Mute Swan and Egyptian Goose, both established in California. The Egyptian Geese I've run across were wary and clearly were nervous of me, and moved around quite a bit. This is directly opposite of Greylags and Swan Geese I've seen, which have been confiding (to downright aggressively begging) and are reliably found on the same little pond. The population of Mute Swans in my area is small (15-20), but they are breeding yearly. They range far and wide, and are sporadically seen on most large bodies of water in the lower elevations. They are not reliably seen anywhere, and are never approachable. I have yet to meet a Greylag or Swan Goose that I would consider even feral, let alone wild and part of an established population.
     
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  13. birdsandbats

    birdsandbats Well-Known Member 5+ year member

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    Here are each of those species along with the year they were established (as far as I can tell):

    Mandarin Duck - Breeding in California since the 1970s. The first eBird report from Utah was from 1994, and the species was first documented breeding in 2015.

    Indian Peafowl - Introduced to the LA area in the 1880s. Introduced to Florida in the 1970s. Introduced to Texas in the 1930s.

    Black Swan - First Florida eBird report from 1976.

    Rose-ringed Parakeet - The famous Bakersfield population became established from aviary escapes in 1977. The first Florida eBird report is from 1990.

    Mitred Parakeet - Introduced to California and Florida in the 1980s.

    Red-masked Parakeet - Introduced to California and Florida in the 1980s.

    Lilac-crowned Parrot - Introduced to California in the 1970s, Texas in the 1980s, and Florida in the 1980s.

    Black-throated Magpie-Jay - Introduced to California in the 2000s.

    Orange-cheeked Waxbill - Introduced to California in the 1980s.

    Great Tit - Introduced in 2004.

    European Goldfinch - Originates from the same release as the Great Tit.

    Red Junglefowl - I could find no origin story for the Sam Houston population. Self-sustaining chicken populations have existed in Florida since the 1970s. Junglefowl were introduced to Georgia in the 1960s.

    Blue-and-yellow Macaw - Introduced to Florida in the 1980s.

    Common Hill Myna - Introduced to Florida in the 1970s.

    Red-vented Bulbul - Introduced to Texas in the 1950s. May have been ship-assisted.

    Yellow-headed Parrot - Introduced to California in the 1970s and to Texas in the 1960s.

    Red-lored Parrot - Introduced to California in the 1990s and Texas in the 1980s.

    Blue-crowned Parakeet - Introduced to California in 2007 and Florida in the 1980s.

    White-fronted Parrot - Introduced to Texas in the 1980s.

    Orange-winged Parrot - Introduced to Florida in the 1970s.

    White-eyed Parakeet - Introduced to Florida in the 1980s.

    Chestnut-fronted Macaw - Introduced to Florida in the 1970s.

    "Japanese" White-eye - Introduced to California in 2009.
     
  14. vogelcommando

    vogelcommando Well-Known Member 10+ year member

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  15. vogelcommando

    vogelcommando Well-Known Member 10+ year member

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  16. carl the birder

    carl the birder Well-Known Member 5+ year member

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  17. DesertRhino150

    DesertRhino150 Well-Known Member 10+ year member

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  18. birdsandbats

    birdsandbats Well-Known Member 5+ year member

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    American Bison are introduced to the Yakutia region of Russia.
     
  19. Chlidonias

    Chlidonias Moderator Staff Member 15+ year member

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  20. birdsandbats

    birdsandbats Well-Known Member 5+ year member

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    There are Black-tailed Jackrabbits in Florida.